Approximately 1,500 gymnasts from 28 states competed at the YMCA National Gymnastics Championships July 1-3, in Long Beach, CA. The Wilton Family Y’s gymnastics team was represented by 15 gymnasts who traveled west for the competition. One member, graduating senior Lizzie Berta, also enjoyed participating in an event organized for all the high school seniors competing, a dinner aboard the Queen Mary.
Here’s how Wilton gymnasts fared over the three days:
Level 3: Ella Arghirescu missed being the All-Around Champion by 2-tenths of a point. She placed 9th on vault (9.0), 2nd on bars (9.25), 9th on beam, 5th on floor (9.175), and 2nd All-Around. In the upper age group, Simona Gheorghe placed 4th on bars, 5th on beam (9.225), and 7th All-Around.
Level 4: Ashley Umhoefer’s score was only .05 from the All-Around Champion’s. She placed 3rd on vault (9.0), 4th on bars (9.05), 8th on beam, 1st on floor (9.35), and 2nd All-Around. In the next age division, Donna Stepnowsky placed 5th on beam, 4th on floor (9.15), and 6th All-Around. Alyson Scheurkogel placed 10th on beam and 6th on floor (9.0). In the upper age division, Maddie Rosa placed 3rd on vault, 8th on bars, 4th on floor (9.05), and 6th All-Around. Ava Walker placed 3rd on beam.
Level 5: Emily D’Onofrio placed 6th on both vault and bars, 5th on beam, and 3rd on floor (9.0) and All-Around. Jessica Wu placed 9th on bars, 3rd on beam, and 6th All-Around. In the upper age group, Nicole Beecher placed 9th on vault and 8th on bars.
Level 6: Rachel Esslingen finished just out of the top 10 on vault.
Level 7: Kate Ginsburg placed 10th on beam. Kayla Heber placed 6th on vault (9.175).
Level 8: Lizzie Berta placed 10th on floor (9.125) and qualified into the 2-day All-Around finals, where she finished 14th in the nation. Grace Breen placed 7th on bars.
